Oh dear. It’s no great secret that the Parliamentary Labour Party has struggled to get to grips with Jeremy Corbyn’s response to Russia over the poisoning of a former Russian double agent on British soil. However, up until now they had refrained from criticising him directly in the Chamber.
Today John Woodcock decided to go there following Theresa May’s statement on Russia. After Jeremy Corbyn claimed in his response that he had always been an outspoken critic of Russian aggression, the Labour MP decided he ‘could not let that remark go by’:
‘I’m sat here reading his article in the Morning Star after Russia annexed part of Ukraine where the strongest criticism he makes there is “on Ukraine I would not condone Russian behaviour or expansion but it is not unprovoked” and then onto the usual criticism of the US and Nato and UK policy. It’s just not true Madame Deputy Speaker’
While Corbyn thanked Woodcock for his ‘usual helpful intervention’, his comrade Chris Williamson saw red. The Corbynista appeared to suggest to Woodcock that he cross the House and sit with the Tories.
Mr S suspects Woodcock was left missing his fellow moderate MPs who were busying themselves at the march against anti-Semitism. It’s a busy job being a moderate these days.
Listen to Isabel Hardman, Katy Balls, and James Forsyth discuss anti-Semitism in the Labour Party, Russian spies, and post-Brexit immigration policy on Coffee House Shots. You can subscribe on iTunes.
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